Probe in Pleasanton shootings could take days

PLEASANTON

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, May 10, 2012

Pleasanton investigators will need several days to determine whether the fatal shootings of a woman and her 13-year-old daughter were the result of a double slaying or a murder-suicide committed by the mother, police officials said Wednesday.

The Alameda County coroner conducted autopsies on Amy Freeman Burton, 37, and her daughter, Ainsley Freeman. The two were found Monday evening in their Stacey Court home by Burton's husband, who is the girl's stepfather. Police say they do not consider him a suspect.

Autopsies revealed that both victims were shot once in the head, and suggested that Ainsley did not shoot herself, said police Lt. Jeff Bretzing.

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He said the fatal bullets were consistent with unused rounds found in a pistol near the victims, though further ballistic tests are needed.

"It is still unclear whether or not Amy's wound was self-inflicted, but that is not being ruled out," Bretzing said.

Burton's husband, Christopher Burton, told investigators that his wife had grown "paranoid" about the teenager's online communications, reporting her fears to police and the FBI.

Police looked into the communications, Bretzing said, and found that the girl was messaging and swapping photos with a 16-year-old boy in Kentucky. There was nothing criminal about the exchange, he said, and detectives do not believe the complaint is related to the shootings.

However, the incident could shed light on Burton's state of mind, Bretzing said.